EU Citizen moving to Sweden looking for a job

The same old questions about Personnummer...

Guys, I really need some help here. I am an EU citizen, currently residing in Ireland. Moving to Stockholm, Sweden in two (2) days, where I will be looking for a job.

And here come the questions. Even though I have read over and over the relevant pages of the websites of Migrationsverket and Skatteverket, I am still confused, mostly because it is different what people said to me from what is being written on those sites. In fact, I am not sure if I do need a personnummer before I start looking for a job, or not.

Okay, so first thing, I am still unsure, should I register my right of residency with Migrationsverket (either personally or online) or not?

Here is a quotation from the Migrationverket website:

"You have the right to come to Sweden in order to look for a job. If you are a jobseeker, you do not have to register after having been in Sweden for three months. If you have not obtained a job within six months, the Migration Board can demand proof that you are actively looking for work and that you have a good chance of finding it."

Second, and most important, can I start looking for a job without a personnummer? According to those websites, I actually can, but people say no chance I will be offered any job without a personnummer. But, in this case, how will I get a personnummer?

From the Skatteverket website:"In order to be registered in the Swedish population register, you need to show your right of residence for at least one year, if you are an EEA citizen.

An EEA citizen who is seeking employment can have right of residence in Sweden but cannot be registered in the Swedish population register on those grounds. This is due to the fact that EEA citizens seeking employment only have the right to stay in Sweden for six months. "

Sure, as a jobseeker, it seems I can't even hope for a personnummer... But, in this case, according to people, no one will give me a job... Is it such a vicious circle? Does anyone know what is the procedure, because it is getting a bit confusing to me. I am leaving for Sweden on Tuesday - in two days - and still I am not sure if I can just start looking for a job by delivering my CV, or should I register my right of residency first, then apply for a personnummer, and the like...

You do not need a personnummer to find or be offered a job. Once You have a job, then the personnummer will be issued, maybe not directly though, sometimes they wait until any trial period in your employment contract is completed.

As a job seeker You are not classed as a resident, and since EU Freedom of Movement and Right of Residence you can only stay for 6 months looking for work, you would not meet the 12 month requirement to be entered into the population register. Don't worry about that

If you are claiming unemployment benefit, talk to your social security office that You are going to Sweden to look for work, you can have the benefit transfered. Upon arrival You then need to register with the job centers here, Arbetsförmedlingen, as an EU Job Seeker and they will inform your social security that you are indeed in Sweden looking for work etc...

And thank you so much for your kindness taking the time and explaining it to me! Man, I can't tell you how worried I was, seriously! All the negative people around me, who said "no way..." or "you won't find a job in Sweden without already having a personnummer" and the like... Even though I knew that the official websites actually say one does have the right to look for work, but you know how negative people can indeed manipulate ones attitude and mood and I was more than worried and anxious, and especially confused. But now I feel more relaxed.

Okay, so in fact, I will be arriving in Stockholm on Tuesday night. It means that on Wednesday morning I can actually grab my pack of printed CVs and start to deliver them to as many places as possible, am I correct? I still think it is gonna be harder to convince employers without already having a personnummer but at least I know I can legally look for work like that. So at least, chances are that I find an employer who gives me the chance.

One bit of advice: While you don't need a personnummer for a job, you will need it for quite a lot of things in everyday life, e.g. health care, a phone contract or SIM card, bank account and so on. You should contact Skatteverket and ask for a coordination number ("samordningsnummer"). This number is the personnummer-equivalent for people who do not intend to stay for more than 12 months, or do not yet have proof of intending to stay for more than 12 months.I don't know if it is given out to jobseekers, but it will help as a substitute for a proper personnummer in some instances (definitely not all).An alternative to receive a personnummer could be to prove that you have sufficient funds to support yourself for at least 12 months, even without a job. (Or does anyone on the forum disagree? It never applied to myself, so I am not entirely sure.)

Ok, so as you all told me - and as it indeed is, according to this whole system - I don't need a personnummer to look for or be offered a job here in Sweden.

Unfortunately though, it seems, the practice is way different. Today I applied to a job, personally, and I was basically accepted. But, then came the question... Do you have a personnummer... I said no, because I do not have one. And then the lady told me that she cannot offer me the job without me having a personnummer. I tried to explain her that I will be issued a personnummer (or coordination number) as soon as I get a job contract, she said she cannot help. When I got back to my apartment, I even sent an e-mail to her, but it seems this personnummer thing is preventing me from being able to do this job. Below is her reply to my e-mail:

Hello!

I really understand and I wish I could help you, but unfortunately I can´t give you a contract or any paper to show Skatteverket. I´m really sorry for that.

It seems, despite I actually have the right to look for a job here, I will not be able to work anywhere because employers seemingly do require one to already have a personnummer. What is this if not a vicious circle?

Does anyone know something that could be said and done in order to get close to that number, or any advice?

Does anyone know something that could be said and done in order to get close to that number, or any advice?

Ask the company that sent You the letter to re-phrase it. Ask if they could state clearly that they would consider you (doesn't mean accept) for a position but their company policy prevents them from doing so since You do not have a personnummer.

and/or

1. Go to Arbetsförmedlingen, take a copy of the letter with You ask them if they can either ... talk directly with the company and explain the difficulties with geting a personnumber directly, they can do that in Swedish and it is possible (likely) that the company just do not understand how it works in todays EU. Maybe they are prepared to change their mind.

2. Once You have registered Your Right to Reside, take a copy of the letter to Skatteverket and ask them either for a personnummer, or as a minimum co-ordination number. Failing that, ask them to contact the company to explain the situation and that a number would be forthcoming relatively quickly once a job contract was produced. The deciding factor should not in todays EU be the personnummer!

It seems, despite I actually have the right to look for a job here, I will not be able to work anywhere because employers seemingly do require one to already have a personnumm
... (show full quote)

It seems, despite I actually have the right to look for a job here, I will not be able to work anywhere because employers seemingly do require one to already have a personnummer. What is this if not a vicious circle?
... (hide full quote)

It's not a vicious cycle, because you generally really don't need a personnummer. Take it from someone who had a job contract even before I moved to Sweden. I assume this is either a very special case, or (more likely) the woman is grossly misinformed. (Lots of Swedes are grossly misinformed about the perceived need of a personnummer. )

Do as Yorkshireman says, but also keep on looking. You will be able to find a job without a personnummer.

On another note, I would suggest that you edit your post and remove the personal information of that woman, considering privacy and all.

Thank you very much for all the great ideas guys, your kindness is greatly appreciated. I will not waste time on this particular job offer because it is not a big deal anyways, I was just worried if it is gonna happen everywhere. But now that I now that this particular case was, most likely, a special occassion, I keep going and try to find something without the personnummer.

Another question, though, is how can I get a personnummer with sufficient means? Because in the meantime I was thinking about it. Does this mean I need to show them a recent bank statement (of the last three or six months?), or should I physically hand them my bank card so they check it? Also, as far as I know, persons with sufficient means also need to show some sort of insurance for one year or something like that. Does a simple EHIC card do the trick?

Yorkshireman:"Once You have registered Your Right to Reside, take a copy of the letter to Skatteverket and ask them either for a personnummer, or as a minimum co-ordination number"

I think the above will not work. Simply because I cannot register my Right to Reside. Maybe it is a new thing, because the Migrationsverket page was updated yesterday, maybe not new, but in fact it clearly states the procedure. See below:

"If you are an EU citizen, you must be able to support yourself in order to have right of residence in Sweden. You must enclose documents proving that you meet the maintenance requirements when you register your right of residence with the Migration Board."

It seems that the only way to register my Right to Reside is to have sufficient means - literally, SEK 150K plus a year of adequate insurance - or a job contract which I can show them. Otherwise I cannot registerd. Which means, I cannot get a personnummer.

Overall, it seems the only way for me is to hope that some employer will offer me a job (contract) without me already having a personnummer. After that, things get (hopefully) easier.

Hej! Sorry for replying to such an old thread, but I'm really curious how it ended. Did you manage to find an employer that would hire you without having personnummer? I'm moving to Sweden in two months and I'm also confused about the whole personnummer thing.